Thursday, 18 June 2015

Went out looking for Common Valerian for future Valerian Pug searching, but left it too late to look for plants and consequently got rather annoyed with myself for not leaving the house until after 9pm (Lesson 1 - plants are easier to find in the daylight). Giving up on finding the right foodplant, I parked up and searched the woodland on my right, only to find the understory a mass of Common Cow-wheat and Bilberry.

Armed with a net I potted the first three moths I saw on the wing - 2 Little Thorns and a Bilberry Pug. Bouyed up by this I quickly set two actinics and spent a very pleasant couple of hours moffin.

I ended the night with 6+ Little Thorns, 5+ Bilberry Pugs, 5+ Lead-coloured Pugs and an Alder Kitten - a nice selection when Eyed Hawk-moth and Green Silver-lines are both added!

The ID of the Bilberry Pugs has swayed to and fro today - when I caught them, I thought they were Bilberry, when I photographed them I thought Green - but now looking on UKMoths and in the Manley book, I'm happy with original ID - I think!

Monday, 15 June 2015

Spent Friday night in Orlestone Forest with 3x 125w MVs and 1 x actinic. After all the gloom about numbers, this was a real treat with some superb moths. Scarce Merveille du Jour, Barred Red, Red-necked Footman, Orange Moth, Rosy Marbled and Waved Carpet all made for a great night - the pugs just added for confusion. Micros to be named (possibly!) when I get my micro book in from the car!

Tuesday, 2 June 2015

Wanted to take a walk through Blean Woods to see how easy Lead-coloured Pug might be to locate amongst the Common Cow-wheat. With torch and net, I ventured forth... Five minutes of searching later...a Lead-coloured Pug!

Tempted to jack in and go home, I kept out and continued to wander in the woods - ten moth species later, I felt I'd given the evening my best possible attention considering I had no generator going!
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Real-time Earth and Moon phase

About Ross Newham - The Bald Birder

My natural history delights, now back in Kent, after lots of travels and a couple of years in Oxfordshire. The arrival of Junior Baldie and Junioress Baldie has meant a change to my natural history habits - gone, for the time being, is all-day ringing and in place? Moths...